The New Year

    As we have lived our lives this year, day by day, hour by hour, a new year has once again crept up on us. Many struggled through the long days, while others endured the time with ease. Children were born, the elderly died; and many died before their time. There were breakthroughs in science and technology, ideas became reality. The list of news-worthy items, public and private, is much too extensive to list here - anything and everything happened this year. So what will the shining new year bring to our curious minds?

   The change we feel in the air is for the time being is a mystery. It is a time of dreams and aspirations as we move forward into a new beginning. We can only speculate what will happen next, and if it will affect our personal lives. The new year will be a challenge, just as every new day is a challenge, and we will rise up to face it with all the strength and courage we can muster.

   One thing is certain: the new year can be what we make it, depending on the choices and decisions we make. Most people have a positive outlook toward the new year, as the old year has lost its luster and promise. It offers hope that we will be successful in all our endeavors. 

   So we celebrate New Year's Eve, saying goodbye to the old and welcoming in the new. I dare say that I, too, have dreams and ideas I hope to see come to fruition. With eight hours left until midnight, I shall close this blog and wait for the future.

   

   

War of Words

   The war of words continues as I am revising and editing several new projects, anxious to share them with the world. One cannot deny those feelings of satisfaction and accomplishment after completing yet another piece of work. These feelings drive you onward to new horizons.
   I see the same satisfaction in friends as they, too, push forward and create their own works of art. That is exactly what it is, a work of art to be cherished and shared forever. To follow through and complete a work of art is a wonderful thing, and I applaud those who reach that point, typing that final word with a sigh and a smile.
   I always consider what it will be like in years to come when I am gone and new generations are reading my works. After all, this is my way of leaving my mark on the world. 
   My heart almost bursts to see someone excited over one of my creations, for it is for the reader that I create and hopefully make a mark in their world. It is with great joy to have brought characters to life, each reader conceiving them in their own way, their own imagination.
   Imagination is, of course, a key element from writer to reader. It is perhaps the strongest element, one that injects life into all aspects of the story. The imagination can do wonderful things - create fantastic landscapes, lively characters, sadness and happiness. In the end, one walks away carrying with them the memories of a particular experience.
   Regardless of the art, from photographers to sculptures, painters to musicians, all are appreciated as they lend beauty to our world. I lend my own art, and will continue to do so for as long as I am able. In the meantime, the war of words continues...

Michael Shorde